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computer science

VERTCON

VERTCON is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand VERTCON rather than just read about it. In short: VERTCON is a computer program that computes the modeled difference in orthometric height between the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) and the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) for a location in the contiguous United States. The parameters required are the latitude and longitude of the location.

VERTCON — main illustration
VERTCON — illustration

Key takeaways

  • VERTCON belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect VERTCON to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of VERTCON from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

VERTCON is a computer program that computes the modeled difference in orthometric height between the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) and the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) for a location in the contiguous United States. The parameters required are the latitude and longitude of the location. The program was created by the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) in 1994 and is available as an online tool, or PC executable package. The package contains the Perl source code. The NGS is the government agency charged with responsibility for the National Spatial Reference System.

References

Illustrations

VERTCON: Graphical representation of the VERTCON result
Graphical representation of the VERTCON result

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with VERTCON

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what VERTCON claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to VERTCON before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about VERTCON ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of VERTCON

In research
VERTCON appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses VERTCON in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
VERTCON is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Software programmed in Perl, Vertical datums, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for VERTCON outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study VERTCON in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what VERTCON means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain VERTCON out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is VERTCON in simple terms?

VERTCON is a computer program that computes the modeled difference in orthometric height between the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) and the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) for a location in the contiguous United States. The parameters required are the latitude an…

Why does VERTCON matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study VERTCON?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on VERTCON.

Tags

  • Software programmed in Perl
  • Vertical datums

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